ESPN personality Paul Finebaum, historically one of Dabo Swinney’s most vocal critics, has surprisingly agreed with Swinney on something.
During Wednesday’s episode of ESPN’s Get Up, Finebaum fully agreed with Swinney, saying that the Clemson head coach is “100% right” in his point of view on former NFL players returning to college football.
On Tuesday, ahead of Clemson’s season opener against LSU this weekend, Swinney called the current state of college football “embarrassing” for the sport when asked for his feelings on the subject of former NFL players potentially coming back to college football.
Dae’Quan Wright, the former Ole Miss tight end who was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns last month before being waived, and Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Saints this spring before being waived, are both set to officially join Lane Kiffin’s LSU roster depending on a hearing scheduled for Thursday.
“It doesn’t frustrate me. Honestly, rarely am I at a loss for words, but I am at a loss for words. I would just say it is kind of embarrassing,” Swinney said during his Tuesday press conference. “It is just embarrassing that that is where we are. I don’t blame the kids. People are trying to take advantage of the system, and I just think it is embarrassing for college football.”
“I just keep my energy on the things I control. The things that matter. And that is the kids here on our team,” Swinney added. “That outside stuff, no pun intended, we just stay in our lane here at Clemson. Try to. Every now and then somebody will ram into us, but we try and handle our business here.”
Finebaum, at least for once, is on Swinney’s side.
Finebaum admitted on Get Up, “I don’t think I’ve agreed with Dabo Swinney in 10 years on anything,” but that “he is 100% right.”
“He just took this beyond DEFCON 1. I realize that’s not possible, but I’m going to make it possible for this conversation,” Finebaum said. “You just don’t understand the history between these two men. I think we’ll learn more about that in the coming days. But the fact that Dabo Swinney — I don’t think I’ve agreed with Dabo Swinney in 10 years on anything – he is 100% right.”
Finebaum believes Swinney’s sentiment is shared widely – expect by those who support the Bayou Bengals.
“Almost everyone in college football agrees with him that does not live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,” Finebaum said.
With or without former NFL players on Kiffin’s roster, his 11th-ranked LSU Tigers are set to square off with Swinney’s Clemson Tigers on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. (7:30 p.m., ABC).